Nut-shelling machine



Nov. 20 1923. 1,474,468

M. J. FOGARTY NUT SHELLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 4, 1922 @woe/nto@ Patented Nov.' 20, 1923.

murenv STTES meneer. J. FOGA'RTY, or BROOKLYN, NEWYQRK.

NUT-SHELLING MACHINE. f

Application filed November'4, 1922. Serial No. 599,094:A

To allozomit mag/,concerm y Be it known that I, MICHAEL J, libel-inrit.`

citizen ofthe United States, and resident 'ofI Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand.State:`

of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nut-Shelling Machines, of which the following is aspeci-v fication.` l

The present inventionrelatesy tov coconut shelling, machines and the objects thereof include the provision of means' for'advancing the nuts; means for holding the same during their advancement against rotation; means for cutting away. thevshells therefrom without disturbing the meat of vthe nutsy meansA for tumbling` the nutsafter the shells,l have been thus` cut away to furtherV remove any adhering particles of shells and thedarkI skin covering the'surface of thecocolv nut meat; and also includes means for deA livering the shelled coconuts.`

For` further comprehension of the inven tion, and ofthe objects and advantages thereof, reference is had to thev following description and accompanying drawings, and tothe appended claims in which the various features of the invention are more particularly pointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawings is aside elevation, partially in section, of my improved nut cracking machine. Figure 2 is a plan view of the same. Figure 3 is an end ele vation of thermachine, as shown from the feedingvend thereof. Andv Figure 4 is a transverse view, partially in section, on the line 4 4, Fig. 1.

In the drawings numeral 10 designates the base ofthe machine, on which are car ried the standards 11, 12 and 13, the latter two standards being braced together at the top by the tie plate 14. The standards 11 and 12 are provided-with bearings 11a and 12a in which is rotatably journaled the tube or drum 15 and on which latter are fixed adrivf ing pulley 16 and a gear 17, the latter engaginga gear18, fixed to a stub shaft 19 journaled in a bearing 2 0 formed on the standard to the freeend of the stuby shaft 19. By

means of the above gears the shaftl 22 is u driven by: the drumv 15 a:correspondinglyy reduced number of revolutions for rotating the face'cam 2.6' fixed to thefree endthereof'. Adjacent the face camj 2Gis arocker. arm4v 27, pivotally mounted atvits'lowerendlby a Y stud 28ixed-to-a hub on the foot off the bearing 23, the rocker arm being actuated by a stud and roller indicated at 29 as en` gaging the groove in the face'- cam 26. At its upper endtherocker arm27 engages proje-ting lugs-30, formedon the slidehead- .31, the footof which slidingly engages the rail 32 fixed to the ledge 33 of the standard 13; Through the foot'of the-head 31' extends a slot adapted toreceive and permit the movement ofV the arm 27, Va corresponding' slot. beingnprovided in: thet railjf32. To ther head 31 is fixe-d a feed plunger 34; havingan enlargedl free endshaped'to engage an end of-thecoconuts,zthe latter shown at sev-` eral points'in the machine by thedotted lines-35. The plunger is movable within the feed box,v indicated bythe side plates'3'6`,\and 1 the outward movement:l of` the plunger isA suflicient to permit the manual introduction i of the nuts oneat a time into'the feed box,` as shown inFig.` 2, thev full movement of' the plunger 'correspondingfto thatof the-upper end vof'the rocker arm 27, as representedby the dotted lines 37l andeffected bythle face cam 26.l Y w y Y To hold the nuts Vagainst rotation'during their advancement bythe feed plunger, v a s series of gripper wheels 38 having penetrable grippingifaces are' mounted to freelyV rotate in blocks 39',`the latter being' slid'able in theI gripper frame40, iixedfupon the standard 13. lengthwise provided with chambers or recesses :arranged to receive helical -=compres` sion :springs 41 normally actingto-urge the gripper wheels inl a resilient manner into engagement with theshell `of the nutswith suiiicient'tension to prevent their rotation, but allowing them to be advanced by the pressure of the feed plunger. Asthe nuts sof These slider` blocks- 39Y areV l pass between the gripper wheels "they are'` 45, slidable in the cutter frame 46,'the laty f i tel' being fixed to the'free end of the'druin 15.v The slide blocks 4 5 are-provided with? longitudinally. extending, Chambers, or, mi?

cesses in which are mounted helical compressionsprings 47m-*inch yieldingly urge the cuttingwheels 42 against the shell of the nuts.l the cutting depth thereofbeing limited by the hubs formed on the side faces of the wheels and which engage the shell and form a stop for the cutting action.

F or the rotation ofthe cutting wheels,

the standard 12 is tixedly provided with a gear 48 having internal teeth, engaged by a series of pinions 49correspond1ng in num-l ber with the cuttinglwheels,the pinions be-f ing fixed uponstub shafts 50, which are mounted at'opposite sides of the pinions in bearings 51, formed on the gear hub 52, fixed upon the drum 15. These stub shafts at one-end project beyond their bearings and have lixed thereon one of the members 53 of universal joints, the opposite joint members 54 being lixedfto the driving ends of the shafts 43,th`e universal joint members being pivoted together inthe usual manner for transmitting angular driving movement to the shafts for the continual rotation of the cutting w'heels`42Y in their resilient radial movement. rIhus it will be obvious that during the rotation of the drum 15 by the pulley 16, the rotation of the pinions 49 will be effected by their engagement with the fixed internal `gear 48, and a double rotation ofthe several cutters will result, one about the nut inone direction and one inthe opposite direction about their own axes, and dur- V' ing the advancement of a nut, separated spiral grooves will be cut in the shell, the spacing of such grooves depending upon the variation in alinement of the cutting edges of the wheels with respect to one another, as indicated in Fig. 2.

To secure the desired cutting action upon the nut-shells, `the latter are maintained in a substantially centralized position with respect to the tube or drum 15. As herein shown this position is effected by means of the Yshell of the nuts.l

est

the guide-blocks 55 and 56 respectively pro- -vided in the feed box 36 adjacent the gr1p-y Y per wheels 38 and in thedrum 15 adjacent the cutting wheel 42, the blocks being resiliently mounted in their respective positions by the springs 57 disposed in suitable recesses and by connection pins 58. In action the blocks serve'lto adapt themselves to variable'sizes of nuts and to furthermore act Vas a support for thelatter in connection `fitted with projecting knobs 60 arranged to nuts may-be directed downwardly or led` away'inV anydesired direction or jmanner.

Inthe operation of the machine thev nuts are manually fed oneat a time into the feed box 36 and from there advanced by the plunger 34 between theyseries ofV resilient guide blocks 55, and the'resili'ent gripper wheels 38, the tapering ends of the nuts serving 'in their advancement to automatically spread the resilient parts and effect aV centralized position of the nuts and a gripping action thereon to prevent rotation thereof as they are advanced to the closely adjacent resilient cutting wheels 42, which latter arelilzeW/isev automatically spread apart or closed to ac-` commodate the varying diameter ofv the work during its advancement, and'cut into the shells thereof spaced spiral grooves substantially the full length ofthe nuts, the angular relationof the groves to the axis of Vthe nut serving ina measure to remove the shell sections as rapidly as they may be cut.

While I have shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement ofl the several parts ofY the inventionit is to be understood that various detail changes may be made therein to suitthe variable `situations without departing from 'the essential principles or scope of the invention.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters llatent, is:

1. A coconut shelling machine comprising means for advancing` a nut, a shell cutter, a

vice arranged to hold the nut against rota-V tion, a rotaryrshell cutter adapted to vieldingly engage the nut, means for vjointly rotating the cutter about its own axis yand about theV axis of the nut during the latters advancement, and means for delivering they nut from said shell cutter.

3. A coconut shelling machine comprising f1 means for advancing` a nut, a grippingde-r` vice arranged to'holdrthe nut'against rotation during said advancement, a plurality of rotary cutters adapted to yieldingly-engage the nut, -and means for rotating said cut-ters around the nut during 'the advancement thereof, said cutters being longitudinally dis- Y l vposed apartwith're'spect to one another. to e effect a relative spacing` of the lgrooves out e* in the shells of the nut.

4. A coconut shelling machine comprisingl' means for advancing a nut, a gripping def vice varranged to hold the nut againstrotation during said advancement, va shell cutter,

fi O

andra drum disposed to receive and guide the nut from said shell cutter.

5. A coconut shelling machine comprising means for advancing a. nut, a gripping device arranged to hold the nut against rotation during said advancement, a shell cutter, and a rotating drum disposed to receive and guide the nut from said shell cutter.

6. A coconut shellingmachine comprising means foradvancing a nut, a gripping de- .vice arranged to hold the nut against rotation during said adnfancement. va shell .cutter, and a rotating drum disposed to receive, guide and tumble the nuts from said shell cutter.

7. A coconut shelling machine comprising means for advancing a nut, a gripping device arranged to hold the nut against rota.- tion during said advancement, a shell cutter, and a rotating drum arranged to receive, guide, tumble and deliver the nuts from said, shell cutter.

8. A coconut shelling machine comprising means for advancing a nut, a fixed frame, gripper blocks slidable in said frame, gripper wheels rotatable in said blocks and disposed to be engaged and rotated by the nut in the advancement thereof, and resilient means acting through said blocks to effect a yielding tension between said gripper Wheels and nut to hold the latter against rotation.

9. A coconut shelling machine comprising means for centralizing and advancing a nut, and a gripping device arranged to engage and hold said nut against rotation, the said gripping device consisting of a series of rollers rotatable on axes relatively fixed With respect to the advancement of the nut.

l0. A coconut shelling machine comprising means for advancing a nut, and a gripping device arranged to engage and hold said nut against iotation, the said gripping device consisting of a series of rollers rotatable about axes relatively7 fixed with respect to the advancement of the nut. Y

l1. A coconut shelling machine comprising means for advancing a nut, a gripping d V.vice including a series of rollers arranged to engage and hold the nut against rotation,

said rollers 'being rotatable about axes relatively fixed with respect to the advancement oi the nut, and yielding means arranged to urge said rollers toward the nut.

l2. A coconut shelling machine comprising a plunger adapted to advance a nut, a gripping device including a series of rollers arranged to engage and hold the nut against rotation, said rollers being resiliently mounted for movement toward the nut ybut immovable with respect to the advancement thereof.

In a coconut shelling machine, a feed box. guide-blocks therein arranged to centralise a nut, a feed-plunger mounted Within said box and adapted to advance the nut between said guide-blocks, and a gripper device arranged toeng'agev and hold the nut against rotation during such advancement.

lli. In a coconut shelling machine,- a rotating member, a gear 'frame and a cutter frame fixed to said rotating member, a pinion gear journaledA in lsaid gear framek andv l5. In a coconut shelling machine, a ro` tating drum, a cutter frame fixed to said drum, a cutter carried by said frame, and

means operated by the rotation of said druml for rotating said cutter about its ovvn axis.

16. ln a coconut shelling machine, a rotating drum, a cutter frame fixed to said drum,

a cutter mounted in said frame for move-` ment toward and from the center 0I' said drum, and means operated by the rotation of said drum to rotate said cutter about its own axis.

17. In a coconut shelling machine, a rotating drum, a cutter frame fixed to said drum, a cutter slidably mounted in said frame for radial movement with respect to said drum, resilient means normally urging said cutter toward the center of' said drum, and means operated by the rotation of the latter for rotating said cutter about its o Wn axis. v

18. In a. coconut shelling machine, astandard provided with a bearing, a drum rotatable in said bearing, a gear fixed to said standard co-axially with said drum, a gear frame fixed to said drum, a-pinion gear engaging said lfixed gear and j ournaled in said gear frame and having a driving end proloo jecting therefrom, a cutter frame fixed toy Y i said drum, a pivotally -mounted'bearing radially slidable in said cutter frame, a cutter shaft mounted at one end in said pivoted bearing and connected at its opposite end by a universal joint to the driving end of said pinion gear, and a cutter' fixed to said shaft.

19. In a coconut shelling machine, a standard provided with a bearing, a drum rotatable in said bearing, a gear fixed tov said standard co-axially with said drum, a gear trame fixed to said drum, a series of pinion gears engaging said fixed gear and journaled in said gear frame and having driving ends projecting tlierefronna cutter frame xed to said drum, pivotally mounted bearings radially slidable in said cutter frame, cutter shafts mounted at one end in said pivoted bearings and connected at their opposite ends bv universal joints to the driving ends of said pinion gears, cutters fixed toV and resilient means adapted to normally urge said cutters toward the aXis of said drum. f Y

20. In a coconut shelling machine, means for advancingithe nuts and cutting the shells therefrom, and a rotating drum disposed to receive and Vtumble the nuts from said cutting means. l

2l. In a coconut shelling machine, means for advancing the nuts and cutting the shells therefrom, and a` rotating druin disposed to receive, tumble and deliver the nuts from said cutting means. 'Y

22; In a coconut shelling machine, means for advancing the nuts and cutting the shells therefrom, and a rotating drum disposed to receive and centralize the nuts during the cutting actionY 23. In a coconut shelling machine, gripping devicesV for holding the nuts against rotation, shell cutting` devices, tumbling devices, and a feed .plunger arranged toadvance the nuts through said gripping, cutting, and tumbling devices.

24. In a coconut shelling machine, gripping devices for holding the nuts against rotation, shell cutting devices, combined tumbling and delivering devices, and a Ieed plunger arranged to advance the nuts vice comprising a rotatable cutter, and means for jointly rotating the cutter about its own a-:is and about Ythe axes of the nuts duringtheir advancement. f

26. In afnut shelling mach1ne,meansv for advancing a nut, means for holding the nut against rotation during such advancement, a series oi rotatable shell' cutters adapted to engage the nut, and means for jointly rotating said cutters about their ovvn'laxes VandV about the axis of the nut during the advancement of the latter.'V n

27. In a nut shelling machine, means for advancing a nut, means for holding the nut against rotation during such advancement, a series of rotatable shell'cut'ters adapted t0 engage the nut, and means for jointly rotating said cutters about their own aXes yin one direction and aboutthe axis of the nut in the opposite direction during the advancement of said nut. e

Signed atrv Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, this first day of November, A. D. 1922. y

MICHAEL J. FOGARTY. 

